Courgette & Artichoke Pizza

The combination of finely sliced courgettes, artichoke hearts and a garlicky creamy sauce is irresistible here; well, that and the crispy and delicious pizza base. These pizzas are much easier to make than you'd imagine, and a darn sight healthier than you'll find whizzing around on the back of a delivery scooter...

Dough Ingredients

250g Strong White Bread Flour

Big Pinch Salt

7g Yeast (sachet or active)

Drizzle Olive Oil

150ml Very Warm Water

Topping

1 Large tbsp Plain Flour

1 Large tbsp Olive Oil

Milk (or Stock or a mix)

1 Large Clove Garlic

Dijon Mustard

Worcestershire Sauce

Courgette

Artichoke Hearts (in a jar)

Anchovies

Chilli (optional!)

Herbs (Oregano, Sage, Marjoram, Thyme)

Make your Pizza Bases by mixing the Dough ingredients together and kneading for 5 minutes, maybe a bit longer. Dust the Dough with Flour, put it in a big bowl, cover it with a clean tea towel and leave to rest or rise or whatever for an hour or so

Knock them back into shape – divide the Dough into 2 and leave for half an hour or so while you get your topping sauce ready

Heat a large tbsp of Olive Oil in a pan together with 1 tbsp Plain Flour. Keep stirring and cook for a few minutes before adding a dash of Milk (or Stock). Add a crushed clove of Garlic and keep stirring; the mixture will get thicker… keep adding big dashes of Milk and then bringing the sauce to the boil. The consistency it is when it starts bubbling is your end consistency, so keep bringing it back to a simmer before adding more liquid (you’re after something not too runny, but not so thick that you’ll squash the bases as you spread the sauce over them…). As you’re adding liquid, add a pinch of Salt, a tsp of Dijon and a dash of Worcestershire Sauce. When you’re happy with the consistency, cook for a few more minutes before turning the heat off – taste to check seasoning…

Slice some Artichoke hearts (get them from a jar, just drain them) and very finely slice some Courgette – not too much of either, you don’t want to overload the Pizzas…

When you’re ready to eat – pre-heat the oven to 220˚c and sprinkle some Semolina or Flour over a couple of large baking sheets. On a surface with lots of Flour, roll each of the pieces of Dough out until they’re as big as will fit on the sheet. Once they’re on the sheet, gently spread a few spoonfuls of the Sauce over the bases. Then lay some Courgette and Artichoke slices on top, with some fresh or dried Oregano and an Anchovy or two… Finish with a drizzle of Olive Oil and some sliced Red Chilli if you fancy some heat

Bake the pizzas for 13 minutes, or until the base is crispy and has taken on some colour, and the top looks perfect – cooked, bubbling and starting to brown slightly